1 Kings 10:29
in 1 Kings 10A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. Likewise, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty; and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.
KJV
And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.
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This verse in 1 Kings 10
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Taking the shekel at about three shillings of our money, six hundred silver shekels would be equal to about 90; and 150 shekels to 22 British pounds and 10 shillings. “Average” price seems to be in each case intended; and we may account for the comparatively high price of the chariot by supposing that by “chariot” is intended the entire equipage, including car, harness, and trained horses, of which there would be two at least, if not three. The “horses” mentioned separately from the chariots are not chariot-horses, but chargers for the cavalry.
This site's exposition
horses brought out of Egypt
on 1 Kings 10:28-29
Deut 17:16 forbids Israel's king three things by name, multiplying horses, wives, and silver and gold, and forbids returning to Egypt to get them; this verse records Solomon doing exactly that, horses out of Egypt at a fixed price, and chapter 11 will record the other two clauses broken in turn. The narrator never cites Deuteronomy or comments on the violation; the law and the deed simply stand side by side for the reader to hold together, the same method 1 Sam 8 used for the manner of the king. Egypt's horses and chariots reach north as far as the Hittites and Syria through Solomon's own merchants, so the trade the law forbade the king becomes an export business for the kingdom.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Chariot - This is not to be understood of the chariots and horses themselves, but for the lading of chariots and horses, which consisting of fine linen and silk, were of great value: and the king's custom, together with the charges of the journey, amounted to these sums.
The custom to be paid to the king of Egypt for exported chariots and horses out of Egypt was very high, but (as bishop Patrick understands it) Solomon, having married his daughter, got him to compound for the customs, so that he could bring them up cheaper than his neighbours, which obliged them to buy them of him, which he was wise enough no doubt to make his advantage of.
And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A chariot came up - for six hundred shekels - This was the ordinary price of a chariot, as a hundred and fifty shekels were for a horse. Kings of the Hittites - These must have been the remains of the original inhabitants of Canaan, who had gone to some other country, probably Syria, and formed themselves into a principality there. It seems that neither horses nor chariots came out of Egypt but by means of Solomon’s servants.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַֽ֠תַּעֲלֶה | vataaleh | and it came up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| וַתֵּצֵ֨א | vatetze' | and it came out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| מֶרְכָּבָ֤ה | merkavah | a chariot | H4818 → | 44 times |
| מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ | mimitzrayim | from Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| בְּשֵׁ֣שׁ | beshesh | for six | H8337 → | 216 times |
| מֵא֣וֹת | meot | hundred<s> | H3967 → | 581 times |
| כֶּ֔סֶף | kesef | silver | H3701 → | 403 times |
| וְס֖וּס | vesus | and a horse | H5483 → | 140 times |
| בַּחֲמִשִּׁ֣ים | bachamishim | for fifty | H2572 → | 163 times |
| וּמֵאָ֑ה | umeah | and one hundred | H3967 → | 581 times |
| וְ֠כֵן | vekhen | and thus | H3651 → | 771 times |
| לְכָל־ | lekhol | to all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מַלְכֵ֧י | malkhei | [the] kings of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| הַחִתִּ֛ים | hachitim | the Hittites | H2850 → | 48 times |
| וּלְמַלְכֵ֥י | ulemalkhei | and to [the] kings of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אֲרָ֖ם | ʾaram | Aram | H758 → | 143 times |
| בְּיָדָ֥ם | beyadam | by hand their | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| יֹצִֽאוּ׃ פ | yotziu | they brought [them] out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
וַֽ֠תַּעֲלֶהand it came up
vataalehH5927 →890 times
וַתֵּצֵ֨אand it came out
vatetze'H3318 →1067 times
מֶרְכָּבָ֤הa chariot
merkavahH4818 →44 times
מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙from Egypt
mimitzrayimH4714 →641 times
בְּשֵׁ֣שׁfor six
besheshH8337 →216 times
מֵא֣וֹתhundred<s>
meotH3967 →581 times
כֶּ֔סֶףsilver
kesefH3701 →403 times
וְס֖וּסand a horse
vesusH5483 →140 times
בַּחֲמִשִּׁ֣יםfor fifty
bachamishimH2572 →163 times
וּמֵאָ֑הand one hundred
umeahH3967 →581 times
וְ֠כֵןand thus
vekhenH3651 →771 times
לְכָל־to all
lekholH3605 →5413 times
מַלְכֵ֧י[the] kings of
malkheiH4428 →2525 times
הַחִתִּ֛יםthe Hittites
hachitimH2850 →48 times
וּלְמַלְכֵ֥יand to [the] kings of
ulemalkheiH4428 →2525 times
אֲרָ֖םAram
ʾaramH758 →143 times
בְּיָדָ֥םby hand their
beyadamH3027 →1618 times
יֹצִֽאוּ׃ פthey brought [them] out
yotziuH3318 →1067 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Joshua 1:4Your territory shall extend from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great River Euphrates—all the land of the Hittites—and west as far as the Great Sea.
it leads to
- Exodus 23:31
And I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the Euphrates. For I will deliver the inhabitants into your hand, and you…
- Genesis 15:18–21
On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—
- Deuteronomy 1:7
Resume your journey and go to the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the hill country, in the foothills, in the Negev, and along the…
- Numbers 34:2–18
“Command the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land of Canaan, it will be allotted to you as an inheritance with these boundaries:
- Deuteronomy 11:24
Every place where the sole of your foot treads will be yours. Your territory will extend from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Western Sea.
- Exodus 23:31
Through
Hosea 12:10I spoke through the prophets and multiplied their visions; I gave parables through the prophets.
it leads to
- 2 Kings 17:13
Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your…
- Ezekiel 20:49
Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, they are saying of me, ‘Is he not just telling parables?’”
- Jeremiah 19:1
This is what the LORD says: “Go and buy a clay jar from a potter. Take some of the elders of the people and leaders of the priests,
- 2 Kings 17:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 1 Kings
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil, The Books of the Kings and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.